Formation of organozincate species from diorganozinc compounds and salts

Abstract

Stirring a benzene solution of a diorganozinc compound with an insoluble alkali metal alkoxide (MeOK or MeONa) or potassium amide (PhN(Me)K) formed a solution containing a species having a salt∶R₂Zn composition of 1∶2. A salt (t-BuOK) that is soluble in benzene also forms a 1∶2 species and, when the salt to R₂Zn ratio is sufficiently high, forms a 1∶1 species. Controlled heating at reduced pressure of solutions prepared from an alkali metal alkoxide and an excess of a diorganozinc compound leaves materials with alkoxide∶R₂Zn ratios of 1∶2 or 1∶1. Reactions of benzene solutions of diorganozinc compounds with (p-MeC₆H₄)SK or Ph₂PK form solutions of composition R₃ZnK.